Civil Defence

The Civil Organisations objective in Limerick City Council and indeed all over the Country is a response for emergency relief and support, to ensure the operation of vital services and the maintenance of public life. Of course this response will be at the request of management under the Major Emergency Plan.

The Civil Defence Services is unique in that, although it is a City Council function it is staffed by local volunteers who contribute generously of their time in service to the community. The financial aspect of Civil Defence is distributed by a 70% grant aid from the Department of Defence and supplemented by the remaining 30% from City Council.

The Civil Defence is situated in Thomas Street where the operational services assemble and train each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and at the weekend. The Headquarters house our vehicles and equipment namely 1 Rescue Vehicle, 1 Fire Engine, 2 4X4 Land Rovers, 2 Mine Buses, 1 Fully Equipped Ambulance, 2 Inflatable Boats, 10 Kayaks and a large amount of First Aid and Rescue Equipment, plus hand and mobile communications, U.H.F. and V.H.F. The Services include Rescue Casualty (First Aid) Auxiliary Fire and Welfare Services.

Civil Defence 1

Civil Defence 2

Civil Defence 3

Civil Defence 4

This year Civil Defence was in great demand in the community. Duties included Stewarding and Crowd Control in support of the local Gardai with, transporting Chernobyl children from Shannon to Clonmel, Ambulance and First Aid cover at Rugby matches both local inter provincial and international, fire works display, Paddy Expo, International Magician open concert, environmental clean-up of wet lands on the new road, cooperation with National Share a Dream Foundation in the University of Limerick, circuit of Ireland Rally, Blood Pressure Clinics at the various shopping centres in conjunction with Limerick Shannon Rotary Club, crowd control St. Patrick's Day and International Band Parade, controlling charity walks, search for missing persons (recovered two bodies from river), and many more activities both locally and regionally.

In the competition field Civil Defence competed with some success at local, regional and national exercises as well as hosting the National Exercise in Limerick recently where teams from all over the Country participated, concluding with a Banquet at the Castletroy Park Hotel.

Members of Limerick City Council received Government recognition last year for their efforts and outstanding work in alleviating the effects of heavy flooding in the area and the prevention against the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease.

The 2003 Special Olympics World Games will go down in history as one of those very special occasions when all Irish people united in common cause delivered a most successful summer games. The Civil Organisation nationally was honoured to have been part of this great occasion. It would be fair to say each and every individual preformed magnificently and was a credit to the organisation. From the correspondence and messages of appreciation received at the Department of Defence, Civil Defence Branch, it is clear Civil Defence left a lasting impression on so many people. We also helped out locally by coordinating the torch run into this city.

Civil Defence Special Olympics 1

Civil Defence Special Olympics 2

Civil Defence Special Olympics 3

Recently the popular T.V. Series "Cabin Fever" a Co Co production which was transmitted each Monday night requested our assistance in both the river and quayside on safety aspects of the event, which entertained 10,000 people attending the event.

Nationally Civil Defence has by permission of the Minister for Defence set up a new Civil Defence Board (7th May 2003) to oversee Civil Defence. The Chairman of the Board Dr. Michael P Ryan PhD., MIMCI, CMC, MIPM is a county Limerick man, and he together with the Director General Mr. Gerry Gervin and their board should invigorate Civil Defence to greater heights in the future years.

The Minister has further decided that in line with their policy on decentralisation of public service, the Civil Defence Branch of the Department of Defence will be relocated to Roscrea, Co. Tipperary as soon as practical arrangements can be put in place.

Limerick City Civil Defence has a voluntary strength of 180 distributed to each of the operational services and is ready to help the emergency services with their expertise when called upon. Training for all Services continue at their Headquarters Thomas Street, each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 19.00 hours to 21.30 hours. Telephone 311441.

Training Nights

Headquarters, Thomas Street
Monday: Rescue 19.30-21.30 hrs
Tuesday: A.F.S/Welfare 19.30-21.30 hrs
Wednesday: Casualty/First Aid 19.30-21.30 hrs

Contact

Civil Defence

Phone: (061) 415799/ 311322
Fax: (061) 414317
email: bkelly@limerickcity.ie

Opening hours:
09:00 to 13:00 and 14:10 to 17:00 Monday to Friday

Address:
Civil Defence
Fire Station,
Mulgrave Street,
Limerick